macOS is not allowing inbound local network connections when Firewall is active

InspiredLife wrote:

I’ve discovered this is only occurring if the Firewall is turned on in the Macbook.

I’ve been unable to figure out what I can do to try and resolve this. Most articles I find pertain to Blocking incoming connections, not allowing them.

Any suggestions?

Do what works.

If you have an an issue with the Firewall turned on, then turn it off.

You can file a bug report /submit your Apple Feedback here: Product Feedback - Apple

Any suggestions?

Yes, turn the useless firewall off. Who on your internal network is a threat to your computer? If there is such a person, remove them from your network. The application firewall is not protecting you from anything outside your local network.

It’s certainly useless on your own LAN. If you have multiple sharing services enabled such that it is more difficult to turn them off than to enable the firewall, then it might have some utility. Turning off all the sharing services off is more secure.

A Firewall is not an internet security feature. It is a Network Management tool to prevent users and nodes from accessing devices they shouldn’t.

Your NAT router isolates your computers from the internet (unless you poke a hole in it).

On my laptop, I do not turn on any sharing services unless I need them at that moment. When done with that task, I disable them.

Microsoft drove the firewall usage to blame users for their crappy security in the New Technology File System.

If you need a firewall when on public networks you should learn to configure the packet filter (pf). It is easier to turn off sharing services.